Then and Now: Doggie Edition

Since this blog retained all my old posts from 2007-2013 I have been going back and reading them and I’m working on a Then and Now post because it is funny how the more things change the more things stay the same. That will take a while to get all that together so, in the meantime, I wanted to post some pics of the puppers!

We adopted Argos when we was just a little over 2 months old. At the time, i was a total cat person but James had moved in with me (scandalous!) and he really wanted a dog so he kept showing me adorable dog pictures and this handsome little fella finally caught my eye. We went to Young Williams Animal Shelter just to look at him. His whole litter of 5-6 was there. Some had the pretty blue Husky eyes but we couldn’t take our eyes off this guy. His given name was Thad and he was an absolute jerk! He was taking all the toys away from his siblings then dropping them only to go steal another one. He still had his calm demeanor but was still owning the show.

We brought him home and changed his name to Argos (The dog from the Odyssey) hoping he’d be as faithful. He is still a jerk, he only comes when he wants to and he knows he is big so if he doesn’t want to go somewhere then he just sits down but he is also still very loyal. He still lays right in front of the door until we return and has even protected us a few times when needed even though he is the friendliest dog you will ever meet (to both dogs and humans). Everyone that meets him instantly falls in love with the gentle giant.

We did the DNA test on him and he is a Husky/Malamute/Labrador mix. We recently moved to Chicago and he absolutely loved it. It would be -13 outside and he’d want to go sit on the porch for a while! Spring is finally here, it is sunny and 71 today. He still wants to be outside but the sun is rough on a husky mix. In fact, he just kicked me out of the only porch shade. (there’s that jerk side again...). He is pretty spoiled but how can I resist that handsome face??

I’m so glad James talked me into getting a puppy. He is such a unique dog and has enriched our lives 100x over. ❤️


Major came to us about 2 years later. We had just moved to a new farm property where Argos was free to roam and he kept breaking into the neighbors fence to play with their two Goldens. The guy kept threatening to call the pound on us and we were having trouble containing him. Huskies are freaking escape artist! Then my sister got pregnant and asked us to dog sit for the first 2 weeks when she brought the baby home. Even though there was the normal dominance issue at first, the dogs got along pretty well and Argos stopped bothering the neighbors. Major was a rescue that we think came from an abusive home. He was very timid but his bodyguard Argos seemed to calm him down. So, here we are 10 years later and they are inseparable.

Major is our little cuddle bug. His DNA came back as 50% Rat Terrier and 50% total mutt. I imagine it like one of those romantic comedies where some snooty pure bred royal decides to "slum" it one night and ends up finally letting loose and falling in love and thus Major was born! He doesn't care for other dogs but to humans he is the most lovable dog in the world. All he wants in this world is food and snuggles. For the longest time he wanted to sleep with us but we wouldn’t let him so finally he just started jumping into the bed in the middle of the night so we’d just wake up and he’d be there. He is a little too smart sometimes... so we finally gave in and now I can’t sleep without the little guy curled up right beside me. ❤️

Our dogs are definitely spoiled and truth be told, they actually run the house but that’s a fair trade for all the love and joy they give us. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

If you are looking for a lovable companion, please choose to save a life by adopting. Don’t support the immoral business of breeding. It’s never okay.

//SH//

The Hunger Games Series

Well, a post is definitely long over due. Although I have a good excuse! I am in a book club and this month's book was The Hunger Games. I started reading and could not stop! Literally. I immediately bought the second book, read it in a little less than a week and then bought the third book and finished it in a day and a half! I have never read a book so fast in my life but it totally consumed me. I couldn't think about anything else and i have been really busy/productive lately so i just decided to put all my plans on hold for the weekend and do nothing but read. It was fantastic. The lazy weekend and the book, actually. Here is a very basic review to avoid spoilers.

The first book, The Hunger Games, was very good in itself. There is lot of action and characters you can relate to. Some of the problems/conflicts that occur are predictable but i didn't think the resolutions were.

The second book, Catching Fire, was still an interesting book but i didn't feel like it completed enough of a story arc to be a stand alone book. It was definitely meant to setup book three and because of that it felt more like "Part One" of book three instead of an individual book in a series. The love triangle angst was full force in this one.

Book three, Mockingjay, was just as exciting as the first with lots of action and thankfully less love triangle angst than the second. I thought the ending could not be more perfect. There were some parts towards the end that really grabbed me.

Katniss, the main character, is a strong female lead but is still very real. She has her weaknesses and often over thinks things which leads her to be wishy-washy and sometimes make the wrong decision. In fact, she makes her best decisions in "spur of the moment" type situations because she is so passionate and determined to do the right thing. She doesn't see her self as very compassionate but in reality she is compassionate constantly without even realizing it. She does have a lot of "relationship boy drama" going on throughout the series but i think that is realistic for a 17 year old girl.

I would comment on her love interest but i don't think i could without spoiling something. (Dang it!)

The books do a good job of building on the characters so i felt like i watched them grow up and mature. I experienced them coming into the person they were at the end and because of that I understood their actions and decisions based on previous things i had seen in them.

I noticed a lot of commentary on modern day society, especially in the last book, that were on the verge of being harsh but i felt had a lot of truth to them and were very thought provoking. However, what really drew me to the series was behind the angsty love triangle relationship, there was this unwavering love and self sacrifice for loved ones that happened repeatedly. It was having that person that will alway be there for you emotionally, do absolutely anything for you, and never leave your side. To me, that is unconditional love x100. Maybe this makes me sappy or a hopeless romantic but i just can't help it because what makes this hit even closer to home is that every bit of it makes me think of my husband, James.

I truly am the lucky one.